1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic data recording and indicating devices, and more particularly to a portable electronic parking location reminder device that will record and display the location of a parked vehicle.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Frequently, when parking a vehicle in a parking space in a large parking area, such as at a large shopping mall, airport, sports stadium, or entertainment center, the vehicle occupant(s) will forget the location where the vehicle was parked. Finding the lost vehicle causes a great loss of time, great anxiety, and exposes the person(s) searching for the vehicle to risk of being robbed or mugged and other safety hazards.
Most large parking areas, such those mentioned above provide signs or markers bearing alpha or numeric indicia to identify the parking space or identify various subdivisions of the larger parking area to assist the vehicle occupant(s) in identifying the location or general area in which the vehicle is parked. However, the vehicle occupant(s) must rely upon their memory or write the indicia down, should they happen to have pen and paper handy, so that the vehicle can be located sometime later.
There are several patents that disclose various electronic data recording and indicating devices, none of which are capable of quickly inputting and retrieving data relative to a vehicle parking location, and patents that disclose mechanical parking location aids.
Planzo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,260 discloses a personal data bank system in combination with a digital watch. The personal data bank system is capable of generating, storing and recalling alpha-numeric data using a minimum number of switches. The system includes a set control logic circuit capable of generating a sequence of alphanumeric characters which are displayed on the watch. Upon repeated actuations of a single switch, a desired array of characters are selected and thereafter are stored in a memory. Recalling the information is accomplished by either an alphabetic search or by a unique code number system wherein a code number is assigned to each data set. The sequence of characters is generated by the set control logic circuit which includes a blank character to facilitate the programming of the memory.
Aihara, U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,668 discloses a portable electronic memorandum device has a memory for storing character data items. When a switch is operated, all the address areas of the memory are designated so as to sequentially read out all the character data items stored therein. All the character data items are then sequentially displayed on a display. After all the character data items stored in all the address areas are sequentially displayed on the display, the address of the memory is updated by the operation of switches, thus performing an edit operation of the character data items.
Tonegawa et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,119 discloses a data storage device wherein data input through a key switch is displayed on a liquid crystal display and is stored in an EEPROM. The data stored in the EEPROM is immediately read out to check whether the read data coincide with the input data. If the data stored in the EEPROM and read out therefrom does not coincide with the input data, the input data is stored again. If the input data cannot be stored in the EEPROM after storage operation is performed a predetermined number of times, a CPU determines, on the basis of a signal from a battery voltage detecting circuit, whether a voltage applied from a power supply circuit to the EEPROM exceeds a predetermined voltage. On the basis of this determination result, the CPU causes the liquid crystal display to display a cause for the disabled storage operation with respect to the EEPROM.
Piguet, U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,291 discloses an electronic diary watch that permits the selection of a symbol amongst a set of N symbols, e.g. for memorizing a message. A data input device permitting selection of a particular symbol from amongst a set of N symbols includes a display subdivided into K distinct display zones and K selecting elements, each K selecting element being associated with a specific one of the K distinct display zones. The device may be used, for example, in an electronic diary watch to select alphanumeric symbols and thereby record a message for use in the diary mode of operation. A microprocessor connected to the display and selecting elements first causes the set of N symbols to be divided and displayed equally among the K distinct display zones upon manual actuation of a data selection switch. Subsequently, manual actuation of one of the K selecting elements causes the microprocessor to select the symbols of the distinct display zone associated with the actuated selecting element; these selected symbols are equally distributed and displayed among the K distinct display zones. This selecting process is repeated until the desired symbol is isolated and displayed in one of the K distinct zones, at which point manual actuation of the selecting element corresponding to that particular display zone causes the microprocessor to select and memorize that desired symbol. This selecting process is then repeated for each symbol of the message to be memorized.
Matsuba et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,118 discloses hand held data processing apparatus having a central processing unit (CPU) arranged to include a calculating mode for performing calculations and a memorandum pad mode for storing data and for reading the stored data in response to the operation of a reading key. The CPU can be changed to the memory pad mode by the operation of a reading key, so that the reading of the data of the memorandum is started with an easy operation.
Ernst et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,491 discloses a mechanical location indicating device that can be carried on a key ring or chain and is adjustable to display various indicia corresponding to a location, such as that of a parked vehicle. The location indicating device is formed of a flat housing having opposite display and operating ends and an adjustable indicator assembly disposed in the housing including indicating strips carrying indicia for positioning at the display end, the indicating strips being movable via rotatable thumb wheels extending externally of the housing at the operating end to permit selective rotation thereof for positioning selected indicia at the display end of the housing.
Ben-David, U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,758 discloses a vehicle location aid in the form of a disposable printed card for use with a parking lot divided into areas. The disposable card contains unique designations for each parking lot area. The vehicle""s driver records the area in which a vehicle is parked by marking, punching out, or removing a removable coating off the portion of the card containing the appropriate designation. Also, the vehicle location aid may contain the date and time of the vehicle""s arrival and departure, advertising information, or other desired information.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a portable electronic parking location reminder device that may be easily carried on a key chain or key ring and has an electronic display screen and contains a battery powered microcontroller with memory and timer features. User input keys on the housing allow the user to enter letters and/or numbers corresponding to the location of a parked vehicle, store the entered data, and later retrieve and display the data when it is desired to find the parked vehicle. The user input keys include a mode key for selecting between an alpha mode for entering letters of the alphabet (A-Z), a numeric mode for entering numerals (0-9), and a direction mode for entering letters representing geographical directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W,). Data is entered and displayed in several distinct fields that correspond to an aspect of the location of the parked vehicle. The identity of a parking lot in which the vehicle is parked may be entered in a first field, the identity of a row of a parking area entered in a second field, the identity of a floor level of a parking facility in a third field, and the identity of a geographical location of a parking area in a fourth field. Stored data may be selectively locked to prevent accidental changing. An automatic reduced power mode reduces power consumption when not in use, and a low battery condition is also displayed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable electronic parking location reminder device that will easily and quickly record and display the location of a parked vehicle.
It is another object of this invention to provide a portable electronic parking location reminder device capable of storing alpha and numeric indicia relative to the lot number, the row, the level, and geographical direction of a parked vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a portable electronic parking location reminder device which is small in size and can be conveniently attached to a key ring or key chain, and carried in the pocket or purse of a user for easy access and reference when it is desired to find a parked vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a portable electronic parking location reminder device having a minimum number of data input buttons for entering and displaying alpha and numeric indicia corresponding to the location of a parked vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a portable electronic parking location reminder device having an easily viewable relatively large display that displays alpha and numeric indicia corresponding to the location of a parked vehicle.
A further object of this invention is to provide a portable electronic parking location reminder device having no moving indicating strips, thumb wheels, or other moving parts that can become displaced or changed accidentally to display erroneous data after the correct data has been entered.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a portable electronic parking location reminder device that is inexpensive to manufacture, attractive in appearance and rugged and reliable in operation.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from time to time throughout the specification and claims as hereinafter related.
The above noted objects and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a portable electronic parking location reminder device that may be easily carried on a key chain or key ring and has an electronic display screen and contains a battery powered microcontroller with memory and timer features. User input keys on the housing allow the user to enter letters and/or numbers corresponding to the location of a parked vehicle, store the entered data, and later retrieve and display the data when it is desired to find the parked vehicle. The user input keys include a mode key for selecting between an alpha mode for entering letters of the alphabet (A-Z), a numeric mode for entering numerals (0-9), and a direction mode for entering letters representing geographical directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W,). Data is entered and displayed in several distinct fields that correspond to an aspect of the location of the parked vehicle. The identity of a parking lot in which the vehicle is parked may be entered in a first field, the identity of a row of a parking area entered in a second field, the identity of a floor level of a parking facility in a third field, and the identity of a geographical location of a parking area in a fourth field. Stored data may be selectively locked to prevent accidental changing. An automatic reduced power mode reduces power consumption when not in use, and a low battery condition is also displayed.